Sports-themed beverage can insulator and holder

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed toward an insulated beverage container manufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themed shapes. The user&#39;s hand is inserted into the container and grips a rod which bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container, thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped and assisting the user in controlling the handling of the beverage container. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in the colors of a specific sports team with that team&#39;s logo emblazoned on its side.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention was not federally sponsored.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed toward an insulated beverage can holder whichis manufactured in a wide variety of realistic or fanciful sports-themedshapes and styles, where the user's hand fits inside of the holder andgrasps a rod extending from one side of the opening to the other toallow the user to retain the holder on his/her wrist and to control thelocation and angle of the beverage can for drinking.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The idea of storing a beverage in metal cans began in the late 1920's.By the 1940's beverage cans were being mass produced by soda and beermanufacturers across the world. As the use of metal cans became morepopular, the industry of beverage can holders took life as peoplerealized that it was advantageous to be able to safely store a beveragecan while driving a car or engaged in other activities. Others beganmaking insulated beverage can containers with the goal of maintainingthe cold temperature of a beverage can just removed from a cooler orrefrigerator, or of keeping a hot beverage warm over a period of time.

Over the same time period, the importance of advertising in the beverageindustry skyrocketed. For example, Coca Cola started in 1892 with anadvertising budget of $11,401, an astronomical amount in those days, andmore recently spent around $2 billion on advertising in 2000. Inaddition to advertising a product on TV, radio, and in the print media,many beverage companies have begun placing their logos on beveragecontainers. Non-beverage companies have also picked up on the trend andtoday one can find everything from mortgage companies to professionalbaseball teams with their logo and identifying company information on awide range of beverage containers.

There are numerous examples of beverage holders and insulated beverageholders in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,381 issued toBuist teaches a cup holder which has a cup retainer and a base which canbe removed from the retainer. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,720 and 5,655,805 toShaddy deal with cup holders which includes a ring of thermallyinsulating material designed to grip the cup. Another cup holder isfound in U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,652 to Welsh, which teaches a beverageholder designed to attach to a chair armrest. While these inventionsdeal with some combination of insulation and beverage containerretention, none appear in sports-themed shapes nor do they lendthemselves to promotional activities involving sports teams.

US published application No. 2002/0043076 A1 to Hodosh teaches acollapsible insulated beverage container that can be carried like astandard picnic basket. This invention, however, is not as easily usedfor drinking beverages and cannot be worn on a user's hand. Anotherexample of an insulated beverage container is found in U.S. Pat. No.5,909,821 to Guridi, which illustrates a tubular foam container whichhas a series of internal clips which are designed to hold the beveragecan inside of the container. Again, this invention does not facilitatethe control of a beverage can that is accomplished by the currentinvention.

There area also a large number of inventions dealing with devices forinsulating and holding beverage cans. U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,984 to Westonrelates to an insert for a standard beverage container holder thatassists a user in removing an empty beverage container. The prior artalso has a lap mat for overlaying a person's lap which includes openingsfor holding a beverage container and food items, as seen in U.S. Pat.No. 6,095,058 to Earnhart. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,976 to Sonnabend teachesa sleeve for holding a container, the sleeve also having a sloped baseto keep the sleeve upright. Another iteration of this idea is found inUS publication No. U.S. 2003/0106895 A1 to Kalal, which deals with acollapsible insulated container. US published application U.S.2004/0104320 A1 to Exler teaches a cup holder with a magneticallycontrolled support system. US published application U.S. 2003/0029876 A1to Giraud deals with a cup assembly with multiple layers and a childsafety apparatus. Again, these inventions relate to holding andinsulating devices, but do not allow for a user to actually hold andcontrol the beverage container, and none lend themselves readily tobeing made in team colors and having team logos emblazoned on realisticor fanciful replicas of sports-themed items.

There are also a number of inventions dealing with car-adapted cupholders and beverage container insulation devices. For example, U.S.Pat. No. 6,530,232 to Kitchens teaches a thermoelectric sleeve-typebeverage insulator which plugs into the car's electrical system toprovide heat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,232 to Aggeler deals with a similaridea, in this case a beverage can container with a sleeve of soft foamwith a series of channels formed on the inside surface which convey warmor cold air to raise or lower the temperature of the beverage. U.S. Pat.No. 6,698,703 to Li deals with an insulated beverage container designedto fit into a car door pocket. While these inventions provide insulatedbeverage can holders for use in cars, they do not lend themselves topromoting sports teams and they cannot be held on a user's hand, as doesthe present invention.

The prior art also contains one example of a sports-themed beveragecontainer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,979 to Servick is directed toward afootball shaped throwing toy which combines the uses of a throwing toyand beverage-insulating devices. In Servick's invention, the beveragecan fits inside a cavity inside a foam football in which the top onethird is separated and can be removed to access the beverage. What thisinvention does not cover is the ability of a user to insert his/her handinto the container to control the movement of the beverage container.

What has been lacking, however, is a beverage container which insulatesa cold beverage can and is shaped in either a realistic or fanciful modewith a sports theme, such that a sports team would have the beveragecontainer manufactured in its team colors and with its logo displayedprominently on the container. The current invention meets just such along-felt need.

The invention is directed toward an insulated beverage containermanufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themedshapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rodwhich bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container,thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped andassisting the user in controlling the handling of the beveragecontainer. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in thecolors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on itsside.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an insulatedbeverage container that can be manufactured in a variety of realistic orfanciful, sports-themed shapes.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a beveragecontainer that has a cavity within it, thereby allowing a user to inserthis/her hand into the container.

It is a further object of this invention that due to the sports-themednature of this invention, a user can purchase and use this invention athis/her “home team” games, as the beverage container can be manufacturedbased upon that particular sport, the team colors, and the team logo.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of retainingand controlling the beverage container through the use of a rodextending from one side of the inside cavity of the beverage containerto the other side, which a user can grip with his/her hand.

It is a final object of this invention to provide a method by which asports team, whether professional or amateur, can promote itself throughhaving a beverage container manufactured based upon that particularsport, its team colors, and its team logo.

Other and further objects and features of this invention will beapparent to one skilled in the art. It should be particularly noted thatalthough the hockey glove is used to illustrate the invention, there area wide number of other sports-themed shapes, both realistic andfanciful, that are contemplated by the inventor as being manufacturedand promoted under the basic concepts contained in this patent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the invention showing an iterationof the invention in which the beverage holder is a hockey glove.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the invention, showing the underside ofthe beverage can cavity.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the invention, showing the top of thebeverage can cavity into which a beverage can is inserted.

FIG. 7 is a back end view of the invention, showing the interior of thehand cavity, paying particular attention to the rod by which a user cangrasp and hold the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward an insulated beverage containermanufactured in a variety of realistic or fanciful, sports-themedshapes. The user's hand is inserted into the container and grips a rodwhich bridges the gap between the sides of the beverage container,thereby preventing the beverage container from being dropped andassisting the user in controlling the handling of the beveragecontainer. The beverage container is designed to be manufactured in thecolors of a specific sports team with that team's logo emblazoned on itsside.

Referring to the drawings, the invention consists of a piece of foam,plastic or some other lightweight, easily moldable material which hastwo cavities molded into it: one for a beverage can; the other for auser's hand. The material from which the beverage container is made iscapable being molded such that the surface of the beverage container canbe given a shiny sheen, upon which can be emblazoned a logo or otheridentifying writing which is related to a particular sports team whichordered the beverage holders and can either sell them or give them awayas a promotion for their team.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the invention showing an iterationof the invention in which the beverage holder is a hockey glove. Theinvention is comprised of two basic units which have been molded intoone device: a beverage can holder and a sports-themed foam member intowhich a user can insert his/her hand to control the beverage can holder.In this figure, the beverage holder has a bottom end (1) and a top end(2). The beverage holder portion of the invention is a cylindrical tubeof foam, plastic or some other insulating, lightweight material which isclosed at the bottom end (1) and has an opening (3) at the top end (2)into which a beverage can can be inserted. Curving around the beveragecan holder are four fingers (4) of a hockey glove. Completing themimicking of a hockey glove are protective hand ribs (5), a cuff (6)onto which a logo (8) can be emblazoned, and a collar (7) into which auser inserts his/her hand. The user controls the movement of theinvention by grasping a rod (not shown in this figure) inside of a handcavity (not shown in this figure) which is defined by a hollow cylinderwhich is defined on the outer surface by the collar (7) and the cuff(6).

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the invention, showing the underside ofthe beverage can cavity. The bottom end of the beverage can container(20) is a flat piece of foam, plastic or other suitable material.Although not of functional significance, surrounding the beverage cancontainer are fingers (22), a thumb (21), and protective hand ribs (23)which simulate similar-shaped structures which are found in real hockeygloves. Also appearing on this iteration is a cuff (24) upon which alogo (26) of a specific sports team can be emblazoned. The inventionterminates in a collar (25) into which a user's hand can be inserted.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention, showing the bottom end of thebeverage container (30) and the top end (31), into which a beverage canis inserted. Appearing to hold the beverage container are fingers (32),with protective hand ribs (33), a cuff (34) upon which a logo (35) isemblazoned, and a collar (36). It should be noted that a sports team canorder the invention to be made in the team colors along with the team'slogo emblazoned on the cuff (34), and that there are different types ofsports-themed shapes contemplated for different sports: some realisticlike this hockey glove; others fanciful such as an abnormally short andwide bat into which a user fits his/her hand to grip a beverage can heldin a holder the shape of an oversized baseball.

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the invention, showing the bottom end (40)and top end (41) of the beverage can holder, along with the fingers(42), protective hand ribs (43) and thumb (44) of the hockey glove,along with the cuff (45).

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the invention, showing the top end (50) andthe bottom end (51) of the beverage can container, along with thefingers (52), thumb (53), cuff (54), and collar (55) of the hockey glovewhich appears to grip the beverage can container. There is a hand cavity(56) which is defined by the roughly circular collar (55), into which auser can insert his/her hand to pick up and control the beverage can asinserted into the beverage can container.

FIG. 6 is a left side view of the invention, showing the top of thebeverage can cavity into which a beverage can is inserted. Here, thereis a beverage can cavity (60) defined by a cylindrical band of foam,plastic or another suitable material referred to as the top end (67) ofthe beverage can container. Although not of the same structuralabilities that the fingers and thumbs of a real hockey glove has, theinvention has fingers (61), protective hand ribs (62), and a thumb (63)which appear to wrap around the beverage can container and grip it.There is also a cuff (64) onto which a logo (65) can be emblazoned, anda collar (66) into which a user can insert his/her hand.

FIG. 7 is a back end view of the invention, showing the interior of thehand cavity, paying particular attention to the rod by which a user cangrasp and hold the invention. Here, there is a hand cavity (73) definedby the inner side of the collar (75). Surrounding the collar (78)further down the invention away from the opening of the hand cavity (73)is a cuff (76), the inner surface of which defines the hand cavity (73)at end of the cavity closest to the beverage can container, shown herewith a top end (71) and a bottom end (70), with a thumb (72) alsovisible. Inside of the hand cavity (73) is a rod (74), which is a hollowtube of plastic which extends from one side of the hand cavity (73) tothe other. It is the rod (74) which a user grasps with his/her fingersto maintain control over the invention.

1. An insulated beverage container comprising: a holder comprising apiece of insulating foam, rubber, or other suitable insulating andlightweight material, where, the holder has manufactured into it a cancavity of a diameter approximately that of a standard beveragecontainer, and a depth of approximately one half of the standardbeverage container, designed such that a standard beverage can will fitin the can cavity snugly, and yet enough of the top of the beverage canwill extend beyond the top of the beverage container such that a usercan bring the can to his/her mouth without touching the beveragecontainer with his/her lips and, where the holder has manufactured intoit a hand cavity of sufficient size to accommodate the hand of anaverage sized adult up to that adult's wrist, and, where the foam,plastic, or other material from which the beverage holder ismanufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and, where thefoam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holder ismanufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, depending onwhat mold is used, and, where the foam, plastic or other material fromwhich the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured with ashiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creating a“finished” look to the beverage container, and where the shiny sheen onthe outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoning uponit a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and, a rod extendingfrom one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rod being madeof plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hard substance,and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavity such that auser can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not only retain thebeverage container on his/her hand, but also to control movement of thebeverage container to facilitate drinking and avoiding spilling thebeverage when not drinking it.
 2. The beverage container of claim 1,where, the beverage container is manufactured in a realistic or fancifulsports-themed shape.
 3. The beverage container of claim 2, where, thesports-themed shape is directed to a sport selected from the groupconsisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf,handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking,cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running,car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting,ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey,lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding,waterskiing, kite surfing, and volleyball.
 4. The beverage container ofclaim 1, where, the beverage container is manufactured in the specificcolors of a specific sports team.
 5. The beverage container of claim 4,where, the specific colors are from a sports team selected from thegroup consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball,golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking,cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running,car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting,ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey,lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, and volleyball.
 6. The beverage container of claim 1, where,the beverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of aspecific sports team emblazoned on its surface.
 7. The beveragecontainer of claim 6, where, the logo of a specific team is directedtoward a team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer,football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, trackand field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby,gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rockclimbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating,skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboatracing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.
 8. Thebeverage container of claim 1, where the beverage container ismanufactured in a sports-themed shape, and, the beverage container ismanufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team, and, thebeverage container is manufactured with the specific logo of a specificsports team emblazoned on its surface.
 9. The beverage container ofclaim 8, where, the sports-themed shape is directed to a sport selectedfrom the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball,basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing,kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming,tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building,weight lifting, ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball,field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing,wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.
 10. A method of promoting asports team, comprising, the manufacture of a beverage container forsale or as a give-away to promote the sports team, the beveragecontainer comprising: a holder comprising a piece of insulating foam,rubber, or other suitable insulating and lightweight material, where,the holder has manufactured into it a can cavity of a diameterapproximately that of a standard beverage container, and a depth ofapproximately one half of the standard beverage container, designed suchthat a standard beverage can will fit in the can cavity snugly, and yetenough of the top of the beverage can will extend beyond the top of thebeverage container such that a user can bring the can to his/her mouthwithout touching the beverage container with his/her mouth and, wherethe holder has manufactured into it a hand cavity of sufficient size toaccommodate the hand of an average sized adult up to that adult's wrist,and, where the foam, plastic, or other material from which the beverageholder is manufactured can be made in a number of different colors, and,where the foam, plastic or other material from which the beverage holderis manufactured can be made in a number of different shapes, dependingon what mold is used, and, where the foam, plastic or other materialfrom which the beverage holder is manufactured can be manufactured witha shiny sheen on the outside of the beverage container, thereby creatinga “finished” look to the beverage container, and where the shiny sheenon the outside of the beverage container is suitable for emblazoningupon it a logo or other advertising symbol or writing, and, a rodextending from one side of the hand cavity to the other side, said rodbeing made of plastic, hard foam, wood, metal, or another similarly hardsubstance, and said rod being attached to both sides of the hand cavitysuch that a user can grip said rod with his/her fingers to not onlyretainer the beverage container on his/her hand, but also to controlmovement of the beverage container.
 11. The beverage container of claim10, where, the beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themedshape.
 12. The beverage container of claim 11, where, the sports-themedshape is directed to a sport selected from the group consisting of icehockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery,shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling,rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving,rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating,skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboatracing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.
 13. Thebeverage container of claim 10, where, the beverage container ismanufactured in the specific colors of a specific sports team.
 14. Thebeverage container of claim 14, where, the specific colors are from asports team selected from the group consisting of ice hockey, soccer,football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery, shooting, trackand field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling, rugby,gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving, rockclimbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating,skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboatracing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.
 15. Thebeverage container of claim 10, where, the beverage container ismanufactured with the specific logo of a specific sports team emblazonedon its surface.
 16. The beverage container of claim 15, where, the logoof a specific team is directed toward a team selected from the groupconsisting of ice hockey, soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf,handball, archery, shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking,cricket, curling, cycling, rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running,car racing, scuba diving, rock climbing, body building, weight lifting,ice skating, race skating, skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey,lacrosse, sailing, motorboat racing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, and volleyball.
 17. The beverage container of claim 10, wherethe beverage container is manufactured in a sports-themed shape, and thebeverage container is manufactured in the specific colors of a specificsports team, and, the beverage container is manufactured with thespecific logo of a specific sports team emblazoned on its surface. 18.The beverage container of claim 17, where, the sports-themed shape isdirected to a sport selected from the group consisting of ice hockey,soccer, football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, archery,shooting, track and field, surfing, kayaking, cricket, curling, cycling,rugby, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, running, car racing, scuba diving,rock climbing, body building, weight lifting, ice skating, race skating,skiing, bowling, paintball, field hockey, lacrosse, sailing, motorboatracing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and volleyball.